My Plus Sized Open Letter to Target

Dear Target,

Why do you hate me so?

Why do you ignore, shun, and sweep me to the side when I want to shop too? Each season, you skillfully and beautifully execute exclusive designer collaborations and partnerships with the leading fashion designers- all to make high fashion attainable to the American woman- yet you ignore me. As plus size women, we are oft neglected, overlooked and always sized out of your collections.

Why?

I love to look fashionable, I love the mixing of high and low fashion, I drool at the latest Donna Karan runway collection, I HAVE AN EYE and HUNGER for fashion too! I also have money to spend as much as my straight sized sisters do.

I am not alone.

We, full figured, plus size, fa(t)shionistas Â love to look just as fabulous as our sisters, yet you neglect to even think of us in the equation. We fawn over the Zac Posen for Target, and strategically finagle through the cuts that could (kinda)pass on our curves; salaciously looking as each fantastic and highly coveted collaboration passes us along- due to you ignoring our thirst and hunger for fashion.

Why?

Do you not think we care, notice, or deserve it? It is bad enough your plus size collections (if that is what it is) are squished between the seven racks of maternity, next to the clearance racks, across from bathing suits; with only one rack to shop from- and I am not exaggerating.

So that you can hear us, and know that we are SERIOUS about our plea, today Friday, September 24, 2010 I, Marie Denee of The Curvy Fashionista, Patrice of Afrobella, and Sarah of Style It Online have come together with our followers and the fa(t)shionistas within the plus-size community to request, demand, and call for an inclusion of and/or special designer collaborations for the plus size fa(t)shionistas.

And we will show you how through our petition.

Today we launch our petition to show you we DO LOVE YOU, but you have to work with us, cater to us, and deliver to us the same exclusive designer collections as our straight size easily sashay into.

About the Author

I am the owner of the Curvy Fashionista, sharing the latest trends and designers in plus size fashion, beauty, and accessories to keep you Curvy.Confident.Chic.! I am goofy, silly, playful, and a handful... but it is all in the name of fashion!

Ladies I feel your pain. I am a “big and tall” shopper. We too have limited fashion options, and often the options are grossly expensive ($400 for a shirt!). But then, you have to understand, designers envision their designs being worn by sveltve individuals – models and socialites that will add value to the name of the designer by wafting around in such elegant designs. By designing clothes for the plus-size set, they risk devaluing their clothing. It’s a catch 22, because by designing for the entire population, they could easily go bankrupt, or become financially successful…

I have a lot of other problems with Target and their plus-sized fashions — but not the selection. Sure, we don’t get the Zac Posen for Target that our less shapely cohorts are graced with, but that’s hardly an issue when the clothes that are available in the plus-sized department are very cute and fashionable. Some of the cutest things I have that my friends compliment me on have come from under the giant Plus-Size banner at my local Target.

No, my problem is two-fold. One, I am plus-sized… NOT PREGNANT. So why why why, Target, do you think that I need to be shopping for cute clothes only to find that the small section I do get to choose from has just run into the maternity wear. Do you think that all of us ladies who aren’t thin should shop together? Maternity does not equal plus. Plus does not equal preggers. Stop treating us like that.

And second, why, oh why would you think that you could size things as follows: 3X, 2X, 1X, and 0X. Really? “OX” ? You think as a plus sized lady I want to wear something sized “ox”? I am not at the Dress Barn. I’m at Target. It’s pretty much a matter of not paying attention nor caring enough about your plus sized consumer to understand them (even a little). We get enough flack in that we can’t shop wherever we want to have to put up with buying ox-sized clothes.

Target doesn’t have to work with or cater to plus-size women or any other group. Why you think you can “demand” anything from them is also beyond me. They are in business to make money and they do that hand over fist without sacrificing precious retail floor space with clothing that they apparently have decided does not make them return they want or can get from other fashion. Target isn’t discriminating. They aren’t shunning you. They aren’t neglecting you. They are making business decisions. Get over yourselves.

There are many assumptions in your comment, which strike me. Business is all about supply and demand. When you supply the demand you make money. Or when you create a demand, they supply it. From a business perspective, as you stated, there is a gap here. While I am emotionally charged and irritated by this slight, I bring my business background and experience to this as well.

Yes, they have and are making business decisions, based upon whatever model/ dollar per square foot/ demand/ or whichever format they choose. HOWEVER.

When you CHOOSE not to cater to a specific customer, there is an offense taken. There is a chance those choices arent welcome nor well received.

Get over myself? No. I am not full of myself, making a mountain out of a molehill, nor being extremely sensitive. Change never happens until someone speaks up.

You are offended because a big box store doesn’t provide you with clothing that is your size? They don’t carry a lot of brands/sizes I like/wear but I don’t take offense. I wear plus size clothing and I don’t like the way it’s stuck back in the corner next to maternity, which, by the way is often more fashionable than the plus-size offerings. BUT, I don’t complain. I just spend my money elsewhere. I get your point – it would be nice, but I guess don’t expect people to bring things to me. I’m not entitled to anything – no one is. Life isn’t fair. I just find it much more empowering to go find something myself than expect people to come to me and I’ve noticed on other plus-size communities/blogs that there are a lot of whiners out there. I’m not of that mindset. Good luck in your efforts.

Great article Marie! We applaud your courage and your call to action. Since the average American woman is now a size 14 (plus-sized) we are continually floored how the Fashion Industry continues to ignore anyone who isn’t skinny (and tall!). Why are they using size 0, six feet tall models to sell us everything from our underwear to our outerwear and WHERE is the clothing that makes a curvy figure rock?! As “Lapdolan” so eloquently commented on this post, “I am plus-sized… NOT PREGNANT.” Clothing that looks good on the rare, Amazon-like proportions of a model usually looks like a circus tent on the rest of us. We don’t have to have a model’s figure to dress beautifully, but we do have to have clothing that takes into account a curvier figure – allowing us to look fantastic at any size or shape.

Our fashion STARTS at size 16! We don’t ship to America – yet – but if you’re in the UK please check us out… http://www.annharveyfashion.co.uk p.s. we are launching our Fashion Plus blog in the next couple of weeks

And, the plus sized clothing they have is not sized/shaped for a curvy woman. I can’t shop there so I take my money to places that do provide the clothing I crave/deserve. Why a retailer would cut out such a large (no pun intended) demographic from their stores is beyond me. Do they not want to make any money? Seems to me that as we become larger as a society (whether good or bad, that’s not my point) retailers should want to jump on the bandwagon and make money.

I am also very disgusted at the price differentiation between misses sizes and plus sizes at Target (and at the fashion industry in general). We are expected to meekly hang our heads and pay out up to 25% or more for the same items. They tell us that it is because there is more fabric in plus size clothing, therefore it must cost more to compensate. If this explanation held true, then petite sizes would cost LESS than misses sizes!
I was at Target yesterday looking for workout pants. (yes, I’m fat and I do exercise!) The pants I found in misses size XXL were $14.99. The exact same pants in a plus size were $19.99. I did a little experiment and measured the XXL against the size 1 in plus sizes. The waist of the XXL was actually more than 4 inches LARGER than the plus size 1!! The waist of the XXL was even 2 inches LARGER than the plus size 2….. Yet the plus size cost $5 MORE! That is when I called for the manager. I explained to him that this was totally unacceptable and showed him the price versus the size. He was ABSOLUTELY and TOTALLY unresponsive and unhelpful. He said, “What do you want ME to do about it… I don’t have control of any of that?”
While I certainly do not rely on the Targets and WalMarts of the world for my general wardrobe, it is a viable option for workout clothing and for indulging in some of the trendier fads that I know will be shortlived and fleeting… and not worth many of my clothing dollars.
I have decided not to stay silent anymore. I am calling the district manager of Target today. I’m going to ask to see the manager of every store where I have problems with their plus size selection and prices. If no one complains…. how will they know? If enough people complain at the actual store level, the managers will start speaking up to the regional people, who will then start speaking up to the national people. Something might just change. But, if nobody speaks up… NOTHING will ever change!

[…] I knew that it wouldn't include any clothes to fit my size 22 frame – and I was right. After all, Target has a history of excluding larger sizes in their designer collaborations. Also, in recent months we have seen the massive chain take steps to phase out revamp its plus-size […]